


Sadly, fits the crown

by Ex-Genesis (orphan_account)



Category: Disney RPF
Genre: AU: Nightmare Before Christmas, Angst, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-02
Updated: 2010-07-02
Packaged: 2017-11-12 15:25:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Ex-Genesis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick's back from spreading screams, but Joe sees the side of Nick the town never sees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sadly, fits the crown

He's headed to the center of town. Nick's due back soon and he wants to know how everything went, wants to see Nick closer, only catching glimpses now and then from his room in the tower. There's a tree he hides behind, his fingers getting stuck a little against the bark of it as he tries to lean forward from the shadows. Everyone's always so excited, but Joe rarely gets out and he's not much help so he mostly stares in awe, watching this burning pumpkin man dancing on his straw horse. He smiles just slightly, feels the pull of it all across his face.  
  
Joe thinks the pumpkin man is just another one of the town's tricks, but then it dives into the fountain and emerges as Nick. He looks as well put together as ever and Joe breathes in deep and claps with the rest of the town. A sort of  _pat, pat, pat_  sound is all he makes, but he thinks if Nick knew, he'd appreciate it anyway.  
  
The witches are cackling and the mayor's happy face is on. Joe feels proud of his town, even if he isn't completely certain how everything works, what exactly this night means. He's youn, and though he escapes his home too many times to keep track of, it's never for very long. Almost anything that makes Nick smile, however, has Joe feeling good, and he seems so sure that everything played out beautifully. Nick's congratulating and thanking the others as he steps out from the water. Joe smiles again as he watches the townspeople swoon.  
  
They may have their mayor, but Nick is the Pumpkin King; he's royalty and everybody loves him. Everybody who counts, that is. Joe's tempted and sets a foot forward but something catches his hand and it isn't the bark. He makes a sound of surprise as he's pulled back, and there's the doctor in his chair, goggles pulled over his eyes. Joe wishes he'd take them off when he isn't experimenting, but quickly reminds himself of the beady eyes beneath and changes his mind. "Let go," Joe orders, indignant as he tries to pull away without ripping his stitches.  
  
"You slipped me deadly nightshade.  _Again_ . You aren't ready yet, and we are going home.  _Now_ ." Joe huffs and pulls the thread out of the arm that's being held and runs as soon as it detaches. He makes his way into the graveyard and slumps down behind a tombstone and looks at his one half-arm. He doesn't hate the doctor; he wouldn't be here without him... It's just that he hates being held in the tower like some kind of hostage. If it weren't for Nick, Joe wouldn't really have anything to be happy about.  
  
When he hears the creaking of the entry gate of the graveyard, he gasps and wobbles to the other side of the stone, peering over it just enough to see who comes in. It's Nick, and Joe feels himself smile naturally. He watches carefully, not sure if he should interrupt, not wanting to get in Nick's way, but not wanting to leave either. Nick seems to be thinking about something rather seriously, and Joe thinks he deserves to spend the night happy, with his friends, rejoicing over his accomplishments or something, but here he is, in the same place as Joe. It's what makes him remain quiet, and makes his smile turn part-way down.  
  
Nick steps to his dog's house and calls Elvis out with a simple pat to his knees before leaning beside a gargoyle. The ghost of a pup floats out and bumps his red, bulb of a nose against Nick's bony leg. Everyone here sings, it seems, but Joe's never been more fond of a voice than when Nick begins singing now, his voice pure and raw, just singing for himself as he thinks aloud. Nick doesn't dance so much as he does theatrical trapeze across the the grave stones, letting the music tell his body how to move. It's wonderful, beautiful Joe thinks, as he watches, once more in awe, always in awe of Nick.  
  
It begins as this song, strong and confident, but Joe hears it, lets it weigh down on him as Nick's words begin to change. It's sad, really, that someone so loved and appearing so happy, someone so talented can feel the way Nick apparently does. Bored, obligated, and really quite alone. Stuck.  
  
Joe knows what that feels like. Every thread of his body and the stuffing within - he knows what it is to be stuck. To be kept. To want to escape and try something new, to be a person, a different person, even for just five minutes. His heart aches for Nick, and his one hand moves up to his chest just as the feeling really settles in. Slowly Joe moves out from behind the tombstone and steps into the moonlight, watching as Nick ascends an inverted slope, a small cliff of a hill that stretches out just for Nick.  
  
The song gets a bit more angry, and where Joe is half-hiding, closer now than before, he sees Nick pull off his head. If Nick weren't baring his soul right now, he'd laugh, smile, maybe clap at the sight. But all he can do is feel sorry, understanding, and he moves just that much closer to the hill. The big yellow moon silhouettes Nick in its light and Joe just wants to touch him, lift the veil of the darkness that shrouds him.  
  
Joe thinks he might unravel completely when he hears Nick sing out a question of who could understand him. His mind sings back that he can.  _He can_ . The hill curls down and Nick walks the given path until he's back on the ground. Joe watches, sad, as Nick exits the graveyard once more, and he wishes he could tell him, tell him that he knows how he feels.


End file.
